Medical Students' Experiences of Part-Time Hospital Work: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the experiences of medical science students of part-time hospital work. Twenty-four participants from Guilan University of Medical Sciences in Rasht, Iran were recruited purposively from the fields of nursing (10 students), surgery (4 students), laboratory sciences (4 students), radiology (3 students), and anesthesiology (3 students). Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews and were analyzed through conventional content analysis. Data analysis identified three main themes and eight sub-themes: perceived personal benefits (effective learning, improved self-confidence, financial gain), organizational outcomes (operational benefits, unprofessional care delivery), unpleasant clinical environment (job burnout, financial strains, academic discouragement). The data indicate that part-time hospital work, although fostering learning and providing income, also poses challenges such as burnout for the student. Healthcare authorities, managers, and policy makers can use these findings to improve the effectiveness of students' part-time work in hospital.